语音A1
Pinyin Finals
Pinyin final vowels and combinations
Learning Goal
I can pronounce all Mandarin finals including ü
Exam Skills:HSK 1 ListeningHSK 1 Speaking
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
下雨了。
It rains.
女人
Woman/Girl.
很好！
Very good!
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Pinyin Finals
Mandarin has 36 finals — vowels and vowel combinations. Key challenges: ü vowel and -n vs -ng nasal distinction.
The ü vowel and -n vs -ng distinction are the biggest challenges.
下雨了。
It rains.
yǔ 雨 (rain) — ü after y, written without dots but pronounced with rounded lips.
女人
Woman/Girl.
nǚ 女 — ü keeps its dots after n (nǚ ≠ nu).
很好！
Very good!
hěn 很 (very) vs héng — the -n vs -ng distinction matters for meaning.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is 拼音韵母 used?
- Mandarin has 36 finals (韵母) — vowels and vowel combinations that follow the initial.
- How is 拼音韵母 formed?
- Spelling rules: ü loses dots after j/q/x (written as u). yǔ = rain, jǔ = lift. After l/n, dots are kept: lǜ (green), nǚ (female).
- What are common mistakes with 拼音韵母?
- The ü vowel is the biggest challenge — it doesn't exist in English. The -n vs -ng distinction is also frequently confused. English speakers: Struggle with ü (no equivalent); try saying 'ee' with lips rounded like 'oo'. Confuse -n and -ng finals. Russian speakers: Handle most vowels well since Russian has a rich vowel system, but ü requires new articulation. Czech speakers: Czech 'u' helps approximate ü, and Czech nasal distinctions aid with -n vs -ng.